Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Varna Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Varna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,255 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,468 in Varna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,928 per month in Plovdiv vs $2,264 in Varna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,601 per month in Plovdiv vs $3,059 in Varna, rent included.

Plovdiv is about 15% cheaper than Varna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Plovdiv sits 9% below the global median, while Varna is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.43 BGN 15.69

$14.11 BGN 23.47

-33.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.81 BGN 77.9

$61.8 BGN 103

-24.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 BGN 16.21

$10.71 BGN 17.81

-9.06%

Cappuccino

$2.97 BGN 4.95

$2.95 BGN 4.90

0.68%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.93 BGN 3.21

-8.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 BGN 2.73

$1.73 BGN 2.87

-5.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 BGN 4.52

$2.92 BGN 4.86

-6.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 BGN 6.80

$3.80 BGN 6.32

7.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 BGN 3.10

$1.98 BGN 3.29

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 BGN 2.02

$1.32 BGN 2.19

-7.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 BGN 3.72

$2.66 BGN 4.42

-15.79%

Eggs

$3.78 BGN 6.28

$3.59 BGN 5.97

5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.10 BGN 20.13

$11.99 BGN 19.94

0.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 BGN 14.90

$9.68 BGN 16.11

-7.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 BGN 24.51

$14.79 BGN 24.61

-0.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 BGN 2.97

$1.98 BGN 3.30

-10.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.21

$2.27 BGN 3.77

-14.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 BGN 3.35

$2.27 BGN 3.78

-11.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 BGN 4.38

$3.10 BGN 5.15

-15.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 BGN 1.85

$1.37 BGN 2.28

-18.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$1.12 BGN 1.86

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BGN 2.03

$1.06 BGN 1.76

15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BGN 1.25

$0.80 BGN 1.33

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 BGN 6.99

$4.23 BGN 7.03

-0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 BGN 10.57

$9.09 BGN 15.12

-30.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 BGN 2.04

$1.19 BGN 1.98

3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 BGN 3.40

$1.87 BGN 3.11

9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 BGN 1.03

$1.14 BGN 1.90

-45.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.02 BGN 49.94

$29.17 BGN 48.53

2.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 BGN 2.23

$1.52 BGN 2.53

-11.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 BGN 1.12

$0.91 BGN 1.52

-26.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.90 BGN 18.13

$12.55 BGN 20.87

-13.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 BGN 2.79

$1.73 BGN 2.89

-2.89%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.0K BGN 51.5K

$30.7K BGN 51.1K

0.73%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K BGN 42.3K

$26.3K BGN 43.8K

-3.34%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$119 BGN 197

$182 BGN 302

-34.74%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.32 BGN 32.14

$21.15 BGN 35.19

-8.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.32 BGN 27.15

$17.25 BGN 28.70

-5.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.57 BGN 70.8

$54.4 BGN 90.4

-21.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.66 BGN 36.04

$20.77 BGN 34.55

4.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.35 BGN 15.56

$9.03 BGN 15.02

3.54%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$536 BGN 891

$520 BGN 865

3.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,743 BGN 9,554

$6,550 BGN 10.9K

-12.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 BGN 117

$67.8 BGN 113

3.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.64 BGN 72.6

$35.02 BGN 58.3

24.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 BGN 170

$104 BGN 173

-1.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 BGN 182

$106 BGN 176

3.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 BGN 908

$644 BGN 1,071

-15.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 BGN 662

$480 BGN 799

-17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 BGN 1,525

$1,307 BGN 2,174

-29.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 BGN 1,126

$932 BGN 1,550

-27.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,365 BGN 3,935

$3,351 BGN 5,575

-29.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,619 BGN 2,693

$2,215 BGN 3,684

-26.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,174 BGN 1,954

$1,240 BGN 2,062

-5.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

2.93

5.80%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Plovdiv: August 29, 2026

Last update for Varna: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Plovdiv versus $644 in Varna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Varna, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Plovdiv versus $62.0 in Varna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $283 – making Plovdiv the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Plovdiv vs Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,255 in Plovdiv, $1,468 in Varna – roughly 17% apart. Varna costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,882 per month in Plovdiv and $2,203 in Varna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Plovdiv, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Plovdiv. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $536 per month in Plovdiv and $520 in Varna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Plovdiv, where all-in costs run around $1,255, than in Varna at $1,468. In Plovdiv it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Varna has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,255 in Plovdiv to $1,468 in Varna. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Plovdiv. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Varna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.